


Mutants

by orphan_account



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, And Damian, And Jason, Angst, BAMF Cassandra Cain, BAMF Damian Wayne, BAMF Dick Grayson, BAMF Jason Todd, BAMF Tim Drake, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Bart Allen is From the Future, Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Batfamily-centric, Bruce Wayne has no idea what is going on, But they aren't metahuman, Cass is everyone's favorite, Damian and Tim are protective of each other, F/M, Fatal Five - Freeform, I don't know, I'm probably forgetting something, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Not by choice, Oh! and they have abilities, Protective Siblings, Ra's al Ghul is a creepy little pedophilic piece of shit, So is Dick, So much angst, Steph and Barbara are awesome, Superhero community is just so confused, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne Get Along, Tim Drake deserves the world, Tim Drake is a good big brother, and Cass, and I'm going to give it to him, and fluff, because its Cass, cause why not?, he totally sucks, he's awesome, i think that's all?, its a whole big thing, lots of POV changes, lots of fluff and family bonding, nobody likes him in this story, oh well, they're all badass and can kick major butt, they're mutants, tim drake is a badass, where the Batkids never met Bruce
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29701542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tim, Damian, Dick, Jason, and Cass were never adopted by Bruce. No, instead, they were taken by the League of Assassins and experimented on till they were no longer themselves.What happens when they escape Ra's clutches and begin their long run of staying hidden and alive?Especially when there are at least 3 different groups of powerful people looking for them.Will they be able to stay alive and safe? Will they be able to protect each other?...Warnings: lots of violence and angst, death, cursing, etc.
Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Bart Allen & Kon-El | Conner Kent & Cassie Sandsmark, Bruce Wayne & Justice League & Young Justice & Batkids, Justice League & The Team (Young Justice), Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake, Tim Drake & Cassandra Cain & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne
Comments: 8
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

_Please let this work, please let this work, please for the love of God let this work._ Bart thought as he fiddled with a wrench. He was sitting in his invention, breathing heavily as chaos sang it's old tune outside the small, metal, shelter. He had to move, had to get out. Had to complete his mission, whatever it takes. Had to save the world.

He pressed the button that would begin the events that would change everything, hopefully for better. 

Probably for worse.

...

The Justice League was gathered in the Watchtower, confusion radiating off them in multiple waves as they anxiously watched one of their leaders pace back and forth in obvious distress. Superman kept switching his gaze from his feet, to the door where Batman and Wonder Woman had disappeared behind, and the Zeta-beam. He seemed to be deep in thought, his brow creasing as if he were having a silent argument with himself. 

The leaguers weren't sure they wanted to know what had caused such a reaction from the man-of-steel, superman, one of the most powerful people known in the universe.

The Zeta-beam lighting up is what finally brought Superman back to earth, startling the other superheros as they watched him all but run to one of their main ways of travel. They waited with their breaths held as a robotic voice announced the newcomers.

"Aqualad, BO1. Kid Flash, BO2. Miss Martain, BO3. Red Arrow, BO4. Artemis, BO5. Batgirl, BO6. Wonder Girl, BO7. Superboy, BO8. Blue Beetle, BO9. Beast Boy, BO10." The Young Justice Team was here.

"Superman," Aqualad greeted with a serious nod, "There was an emergency beacon?" 

Superman nodded, sighing heavily. "Yes, I- Yes, sit down, please. We are waiting for a few more people."

The teens and young adults cautiously made their way to the table where their mentors sat, glancing around the room to see if anyone knew what was happening, what was wrong.

Nobody did.

"Who else are we waiting for?" Green Arrow asked, irritation evident in his tone. 

He was answered by a familiar gruff voice. "We're all here. We will begin this meeting." Batman said, stepping out of the door that Superman had previously been staring at. Wonder Woman was with him, standing next to a boy around the age of 14, who was bouncing out of his skin. 

"Oracle?" Batman asked the roof, making everyone but Batgirl stare at him in confusion. 

"I can hear you loud and clear, B." a female voice answered, causing quite a few of them to jump in surprise. "What's this about?" 

Wonder Woman walked forward, confidence oozing from her in a claiming manor, calming those she passed by. 

"This is Bart Allen, a speedster from the future." she said bluntly. 

Shocked questions echoed around the room as everyone began to shout their confusion. 

Batman gave a low, threatening growl, causing the room to fall into silence. 

"Impulse." he ordered, chasing the ball of energy beside him to nod, a grin forming in his face. 

"Hi! I'mImpulse,akaBartAllen. I'm thegrandsonofFlash, and Icamefromthefuturewhichwasnotcrash, not crash at all." The teen said in a rush, causing his words to bleed together. 

"Grandson...?" Flash muttered in the background, going ignored. 

"Bart, please speak slower." Wonder Woman said soothingly, a motherly tone to her voice. 

"Oops, sorry. I'm Bart Allen, I go by Impulse. I came from the future because I was given a mission by... Where are they?" 

"Where are who?" Hal Jordon asked. 

Bart looked around the room, his easy-going expression soon falling into a confused, remorseful one. 

"The Bird Family? You know, Robin, Red Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood, Black Bird?" Bart questioned, becoming more and more wary as his questions remained unanswered. 

Bart looked around the room once again, shaking his head and muttering 𝐨𝐡 𝐧𝐨, 𝐨𝐡 𝐧𝐨, 𝐨𝐡 𝐧𝐨 like a chant. 

"Impulse. Bart. What is it? What's wrong?" Wonder Woman questioned. 

"I can't believe I didn't notice!" Bart exclaimed. "I thought they would be here! But theyaren'therewhichmeanstheyweren'ttheyweren'ttheyweren'tpartoftheYoungJusticeteamwhichmakesthissomuchharder. This is bad. This is really really bad. This issobad." The distressed speedster reached into his costume, pulling out s USB drive. "Watch this. It'll... Explain everything?" 

Batman took the device from Bart's shaking hands and walked over to the computer, typing a few things in, causing a screen big enough for everyone to see clearly to appear. 

There was a play button. 

The superheros, young and old alike, watched in silence as the video began to play. 

A man around 29 years in age sat in front of them, an exhausted look on his face. Behind him, a woman and another man stood, much older then the one in the front, their arms crossed. 

"Hello." The man said, his expression curt and serious, his green eyes empty of emotion except for the cold hardness. 

"My name is Damian Al Ghul, also known as the superhero you know as Robin. For the fate of the world, you must listen very carefully." 

The other man walked forwards, his sad face causing many of the people watching to wince. He looked like someone who had grown up to fast, to soon.  
"I'm Richard Grayson. The eldest of the Bird Family. I go by Nightwing, as you obviously know. This is a last ditch effort to save our planet, and we can't do it if you don't help." 

"Impulse. Bart." The woman said. "I am Cass. Black Bird. We have a mission for you." 

Damian slowly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling. "Our brother, Timothy, was the one who told us who to call for help. He was Red Robin."

Nobody missed how the sibling's expressions darkened at Timothy's name. Nor did they miss the use of past tense. 

"He and Red Hood sacrificed their lives to make sure you succeed." Richard continued, his voice cracking. "Please don't let it be in vain. Please, you have to help. I know you're young, just turning 13, but you're our only option. The only one that can pull this off. You have to travel to the past, 18 years ago, and find us. The Justice League and their covert team will be willing to help you. Hopefully."

Damian scoffed, not looking very hopeful at his eldest brother's words. 

"Faith." Cass whispered, looking at him. "He will help." 

"Yeah, he's your father, Dami. Have some hope."

Damian looked away, his expression one they had never seen before. "That is exactly why I don't trust him." 

Richard looked at a loss for words, not agreeing with the man, but not arguing either. 

"Then do it for Tim." Cass said, causing Damian to flinch. 

Damian slowly turned to the screen. "Help us. Please." 

And then the video cut out. 

Bart was standing in there, a frown on his face as he watched the league's reactions. 

Batman was the first to speak.  
"Why did you listen?" 

Bart shook his head. "The future is a bad place. We're fighting a losing war against an enemy we don't even know. All of the superheros are dead or missing, except for the Bird Family. I trust them, because they are the only ones that can stop what is happening, and if they told me to come here, I will. So I did." 

"Well, we'll just have to help you find them, won't we?" Wonder Woman said. 

...

Meanwhile, a dragon awoke from his slumber, nudging the small demon beside him, a smirk appearing on his face. 

"Wake up, frater. It's time to leave."


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the beginning...

Dick was 14 when his life fell apart. 

He was happy, his parents were alive and he had a little sister, little Irini, only 6 years old.   
Dick couldn't be more relieved that he'd told his parents not you swing that night, the night the Trapeze was messed with. None of them knew that his mother was pregnant, but they were all glad they listened.   
They were alive, happy, and flying. 

Until they weren't. 

Dick wasn't really sure what had happened. All he remembered was he was eating with parents and sister, and then the restaurant went dark. 

Gunshots rang around and Dick could recall grabbing Irini and shoving her under the table, covering her body with his own. 

The lights came back on, and a woman knelt down at the table, blocking his view from the dead bodies that littered the ground. 

"Hello, little one." she said. "My name is Talia, I'm here to take care of you." 

He remembered being grabbed and dragged away from his last living relative, he remembered someone asking, "What should we do with the kid?" and Talia answering, "Leave her." 

And then he woke up, alone, in a cage. 

... 

Cass ran at away from her father when she was 13 years old. 

Living on the streets was hard, but she could do it.   
After all, she was raised to be an assassin, how hard could it be?

Well, she wouldn't know for ming, because a few weeks after she ran, a woman was standing in front of her. 

Cassandra was always good at reading people, prided herself on it, and while she knew this woman meant no good for her, she had to go. 

Because the woman gave something away in her body language, something Cass couldn't ignore. 

There were others there, two of them, a little boy and a teenager. 

She didn't know why, but she felt protective over them. 

She had to go, had to save them. 

If she couldn't, who could?

... 

Jason knew a thing or two about staying away from bad people. He lived in Gotham, after all. 

Gotham, where his mother OD'd on drugs and his father was arrested for being abusive. 

Gotham, where kids on the streets had to sell their bodies just to get some food in their starving stomachs. 

Gotham, a place that takes, and takes, and takes, and never gives. 

So why didn't he realize that it was a trap? Was it because the woman had a child with her, a child no older than six? Was it because she seemed so trustworthy?

Jason didn't know, but he'd always regret walking away with her, trusting her. 

Because that trust only led to death, and being cold, and waking up a few hours later, different, angrier, then before. 

He should have known. Nobody wants to adopt a 12 year old, unless they want to use them in some way.

And he hated it.

...

Tim wasn't sure what he did to make his parents hate him so much.   
Was it because he cried to much? Was he not smart enough? Not elite enough?   
Was it just because they didn't want him anymore?

He first realized something was happening when he was 8 years old, just a few months after he realized who Batman was. An old man had knocked on the door, two people dressed in read outfits standing behind him.   
Tim wasn't supposed to hear the discussion, but he did, and he really should have run right then, no looking back.   
But he didn't. 

"I'd like to buy your son." The old man had said. 

His parents shared a look and Tim felt dread pool up in his stomach. 

"Very well then. Just give us time to make another heir, then you can have Timothy."

The man had agreed and then he left, patting Tim's back on the way out. 

Why didn't he run? Did he think his parent would change their minds? Know, that wasn't it. Did he just want to make someone proud for once in his life?

Maybe... Probably... Yeah. 

When Tim was 9 years old, his mother fell pregnant, and Tim was sold to Ra's Al Ghul. 

When he was 10, three more people joined him. 

... 

Damian always knew grandfather was up to something. 

When he was 5, the older man became... Happier, more excited. Damian didn't know what was going on. He'd never seen Grandfather like that before and he didn't know what to think about it. 

Grandfather's excitement only grew when he was 6.   
When Damian was 6, he left with his mother on a special mission. They were to find a boy, much older than himself, and deliver him to Grandfather. 

They did it successfully, and Damian received his first sword later that night. 

It wasn't until he turned 11 that he found out what he was up to, and Damian did not like it, not one bit. 

He was... Testing them, using them as experiments. 

And now, he would join them, when mother was away on a year-long mission. 

Damian had only met one of the subjects so far, a Timothy Drake. 

He didn't understand, he couldn't understand, how Timothy was so kind to him. Damian had told Timothy that he was the Al Ghul heir, but Timothy did not care. 

Timothy told him that he'd protect Damian as long as he lived.   
And Damian believed him. 

Timothy explained what was happening, and Damian was quite impressed. None of the subjects had met each other, and yet Timothy knew about all of them and how long they were there for.   
Timothy was smart, and Damian knew he could trust the older boy with his life. 

So he did. 

And he would never regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone want to guess what abilities they have? 
> 
> Like, for example, if Bruce were a werewolf, he'd have stuff like: enhanced senses, sharp teeth and claws, etc. 
> 
> So what about the siblings?
> 
> By the way, Bruce is not a werewolf.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied rape in this chapter. I don't come right out and say it, but there is a few spits where if you look closely enough, it's definitely there. 
> 
> Also implied torture. 
> 
> ((((... )))) is dreaming.

Tim has always had an intelligence that rivaled full grown adults. He was smart, he had a photographic memory, and most of all: he knew how to act around certain people.

Around his parents, he was supposed to be silent, speak only when spoken too, and prove he was worthy enough to be their heir.  
Around the rich Gothamites, he was to act politely and wow the crowd with his intellect. He was meant to spy on whomever had caught his parent's eyes, and report back on his findings.  
At school, Tim had to play the part of "I'm better than all of you, bow down to me" game. It didn't matter how much he hated it, how many potential friends he had lost. He had too, because his parents always knew when he didn't, and they never failed to punish him accordingly.

Tim has always had to act, he rarely got to be himself.  
The only time Tim ever remembered being his true self, acting the way he always wished he could, was when nobody was there to see it. When he was alone in the big, dark, mansion with nothing but his thoughts and his photos to keep him company.

His brain has always been with him, never gave up on him like everyone else. He trusted his brain more than any other thing on earth.

So when his brain was telling him not to trust this man -Ra's Al Ghul, he said his name was- he listened. He plotted. He made plans to make sure Ra's never realized just how smart Tim was, he needed Ra's to trust him, so he could eventually take him down.

And how glad Tim was that he actually listened to his thoughts, trusted his head enough to tell him when things were right or wrong.

Because if he hadn't, their escape would have gone much, much worse.

...

It all started when Tim met who would soon become his first brother.

He was 14 at the time, having been with Ra's for 5 years, and knew the inner workings of the League of Assassins.  
Tim knew all about how they worked, what they did, who they were, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

So it only made sense that he knew about the heir to the throne, Damian Al Ghul. He'd never met the boy, of course. Tim hadn't met any of the Assassins, actually. Only Ra's and a few others that trained him to use multiple weapons (Tim preferred the Bo-Staff, it was quite an exceptional weapon.)

But he knew all about the kid.

Ra's often underestimated him, and seemed to think that Tim would forever be his and wouldn't possibly betray him in any way.  
His loss. He would learn soon enough that you should never underestimate Timothy Drake. It would become your undoing.

But until that moment, Tim used it to his advantage.

Ra's actually gave a lot of information up when he talked, you just had to look for it.

When Tim was "asleep" in bed one night, he'd heard Ra's talking to Talia (Damian's mother) about the young boy's training. They were preparing him for something, something Talia didn't seem to like every much.

Tim couldn't help the jolt of fear that ran up his spine at what Ra's was implying as he spoke. He hoped he'd be proven wrong, and that the older man wouldn't use his own grandson for testing.

But alas, he wasn't wrong. Tim rarely was.

He stayed silent as the cell he stayed in when Ra's wasn't using him was thrown open. An assassin, blank faced as always, pushed little 10 year old Damian into the cell and closed the door once more, leaving the two boys to introduce themselves to each other.

Tim's cell was quite large, as if Ra's planned on adding more subjects to join him eventually.  
It had three sections: a restroom that included a shower, though the water was never warm; three bunk beds hidden, each with matching bedding, only one in use at the moment; and a table where Tim did schoolwork assigned to him by the Demon Head. Ra's wanted Tim to be in top intellectual condition, after all.

Damian took this all in with an expression most people wouldn't be able to read, looking around the room with sadness impressively concealed by disdain.

"You... Are grandfather's test subject. For the Mutant Project." Damian said when he met eyes with Tim.

Tim gave a small, hopefully kind, smile, slowly walking over to stand in front of him.  
"Yes. My name is Tim. What's yours?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Damian looked at him with distrust, not surprising Tim at all. His entire life was just thrown off course, his grandfather betrayed him and abandoned him with someone he'd never met before, in a cage. Of course Damian didn't trust him!!

"You... Already know my name." Damian said, confident in his response, but still not knowing exactly why the teen knew his name.

Tim's smile widened. "Yes, I do. You're Damian Al Ghul." Tim watched thoughtfully as the boy nodded in confirmation. Tim would be the first to admit that he was confused. Why was Damian even here? Last time Tim was with Ra's, Talia had come around and told him that she wouldn't allow Damian to be tested on. So, what happened Talia? Tim didn't think she'd change her mind so soon.

As if reading his mind, Damian answered all his questions with one simple sentence.

"Grandfather sent mother away on a year-long mission."

Tim felt bad for the kid. He didn't deserve this, didn't deserve to be tested on like some toy. Tim could understand being tested himself, he deserved it for causing his parents so many problems. But Damian? Damian was everything Ra's wanted in an heir. The perfect specimen. It just didn't make sense.

There was something bigger than Tim originally thought at play here. Much bigger.

"I'm sorry, Damian." Tim whispered. "You don't deserve this."

Damian just looked away.

...

It was a week after Damian came to live in the cell that he was taken away for his first testing.

Tim held him as he cried himself to sleep that night.

...

"What is he preparing us for?" Damian asked one night as they ate the mush called dinner. "You must know. Grandfather favors you."  
Tim hid his flinch well. It had been a few weeks (7, to be precise) sense Damian had joined him in his home, and Tim was beginning to slowly price together more and more puzzle pieces that Ra's had dropped on the floor.

Tim looked away from Damian, taking a deep breath.

"I don't know yet. But I'll figure it out."

...

(((("Again."

Tim blocked the sword and kicked out behind him to kick another away. Flipping backwards and bringing his Bo-staff forward to bonk the assassin in the head, Tim spun around to steal the sword from the other unconscious enemy.

It was over in a matter of minutes, all 18 of his opponents lying on the ground.

"Finish them off." Ra's ordered.

Tim froze, turning to look at him in shock. In all 4 of his years here, Ra's had never told him to kill someone.

Tim's eyes narrowed as he defiantly assured his shoulders.  
"No."

Ra's glared at him menacingly, his aura darkening with each passing second.

To bad for him, Tim stopped being afraid of him a long time ago.

"Excuse me?"

"I said 𝙣𝙤."

Ra's eyes glinted evilly as he snarled. "Very well then. For each of them killed by someone that isn't you, 10 lashes."))))

Tim woke up with a start, breathing heavily as he flinched away from the hand on his arm.

"Timothy?" a soft voice asked warily.

Tim's fast heartbeat slowed down at the familiar voice, his body relaxing slightly.

"Damian? What's wrong?" Tim asked, reaching over to wipe the tears from his little brother's eyes.

"Tt. You're an imbecile, Drake. Worrying about me when you're the one in pain."

Tim gave a laugh that sounded half like a sob.

"I'm fine, Dami. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Damian glanced at the bandages wrapped around Tim's chest, glancing away when his assessment was finished.

Tim watched him, noticing the small amount of comfort the boy took in knowing Tim's bandages weren't stained red.

"Actually, Dami. Can you stay with me tonight?" Tin asked as Damian began to lower himself off the bunk.

Damian blinked, staring at him in surprise.  
After a moment's hesitation, he nodded, slipping under the covers.

"Very well, Drake. If it will make you feel better."

... 

The 8th week Damian spent with him, Tim decided to show him what he hadn't showed anyone before. 

Tim showed Damian just how he knew about the others.


End file.
